Reviews

Botchan by Natsume Sōseki

eternal_wandering's review against another edition

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emotional funny informative lighthearted reflective relaxing fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

yazzzzz's review against another edition

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funny inspiring reflective relaxing fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

akaume's review against another edition

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3.0

I had expectations. High ones. I was disappointed. Despite the fact that I enjoyed the book and it was hilarious at some points I also have to be objective on the fact that this is not one of soseki's best novels.

adazzlinggirl's review against another edition

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reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

italo_carlvino's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

niuz's review against another edition

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2.0

Quedé un poco decepcionada de este libro. No sé de donde dicen que es cómico o divertido o que es la versión oriental de El Guardián entre el Centeno.

Son las vivencias de un novato maestro que tenía una juventud cómoda en Tokio y que al ser ubicado fuera de la ciudad tiene su adaptarse a la vida rural por su propia cuenta.

amande9727's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted slow-paced

3.25

lvyy's review against another edition

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medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

I’m still not sure whether I’m meant to like Botchan… he’s certainly praised much in the novel by Kiyo and in the foreword but as I reader I found him a bit too simpleminded. 

Botchan is not the type to think ahead and acts irrationally when he feels insulted. He often judges the countryside people to be rural, poorly uneducated, sly hearted, etc. all the while professing his own moral high ground as he is able to act forthrightly and without need for masks. Whether or not this is true, he certainly has a way of stereotyping the people he meets in the countryside city. And ultimately wields violence as ‘heaven’s judgement’ against Red-Shirt and Clown after he spies on them potentially meeting dancing girls in a hotel with Porcupine. 

After beating them up, Botchan finally resigns as he so often threatened to do in his mind and returns to Tokyo to be with Kiyo. 

Is there some stranger interpretation of his relationship with Kiyo - half a mother to him, governess, attendant, and to his 2nd landlady his ‘wife’? At least Botchan can recognise her devotion to him after he leaves her for that month to teach. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

dabmo22's review against another edition

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lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

soy_camilagarcia_'s review against another edition

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funny medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0